The Leagues Cup was the triumphant stage of Lionel Messi's arrival in Major League Soccer, when he led Inter Miami to the club's first ever trophy after arriving in 2023.
Unfortunately, the 2025 edition has proven a little more painful.
Inter Miami may have to push forward without Messi's influence after the Argentine legend went down early in the club's second group-stage match.
The Herons took a step closer to the knockout stage by beating Nexaca on penalties after a 2-2 draw, but Messi suffered an injury early on. The Sporting News has the latest on the problem and what we know about how long he could be sidelined.
MORE: A full breakdown of Lionel Messi's injury history across his entire career
Lionel Messi injury update
In the 11th minute of Inter Miami's 2-2 draw with Mexican club Nexaca in the Leagues Cup on Saturday, Messi was withdrawn after suffering an apparent hamstring injury.
Messi ran into Nexaca defender Alexis Pena and fell to the ground. He received treatment from the trainers before exiting the pitch under his own power and being replaced by Federico Redondo.
"He felt discomfort, and we will not be able to know until tomorrow how severe the injury is," Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano said after the match. "There's probably something there. Maybe not as important because he was really not in pain. But he did feel a pull."
🗣️🇦🇷 Mascherano explains Messi's injury after being subbed off very early in the Leagues Cup match#beINSPORTS #LeaguesCup #Messi pic.twitter.com/BIuQDJrs1Z
— beIN SPORTS USA (@beINSPORTSUSA) August 3, 2025
The club later confirmed that the injury was not serious, although they did not specify the precise nature of the problem.
"Messi underwent medical tests to evaluate the extent of the muscle discomfort he experienced during last night's Leagues Cup match against Necaxa, which forced him to leave the field," they said.
"The results confirmed a minor muscle injury in his right leg. His medical clearance will depend on his clinical progress and response to treatment."
When will Lionel Messi return from injury?
The day before Inter Miami's last league phase match, Mascherano had a positive update. "I spoke with him yesterday, it's clear it is a mild injury. Tomorrow's match, he won't be there, but we will reassess him after that," the Inter Miami coach said.
Given Inter Miami's usage of the word "minor," it's likely that Messi suffered a Grade 1 strain, which is the tamest variety.
Three weeks has often been the normal recovery time for muscle injuries in Messi's past, and that tracks with the normal recovery for a Grade 1 strain, but there will hope that he can potentially return sooner.
Lionel Messi missed Inter Miami's league phase finale against Pumas, which the Herons won 3-1 to qualify for the knockout stage. He then also missed their MLS defeat to Orlando City on August 10.
Now, Messi is slated to return for the club's home league match against LA Galaxy on Saturday, August 16. The Argentine returned to training on Friday, indicating he is ready to participate moving forward.
Lionel Messi injury history as hamstring concerns plague star
This latest muscle injury is just the latest in a long line of such issues in Messi's career.
The 38-year-old has had multiple hamstring and adductor injuries as an Inter Miami player, missing the start of last season with a muscle problem.
He also had hamstring issues during his Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain careers, including significant time missed in 2013.